Overview

• A Kyoto bus driver with 29 years of service was fired in 2022 after being caught on camera stealing ¥1,000 from passengers’ fares.
• After losing his ¥12 million retirement package, the driver sued the city, initially losing before a lower court ruled the penalty excessive.
• On April 17, 2025, Japan’s Supreme Court reinstated the city’s original decision, citing the need to preserve trust in public transportation services.
• The court emphasized that even minor embezzlement could erode confidence in the integrity of state-run systems.
• The driver, who had prior disciplinary issues including on-duty vaping, denied the theft despite video evidence.